camoed small container that could hold small items, BYOP. Sutton
Cemetery is the location of a Primitive Methodist Church which was
built in 1870 in the southwest corner of the hamlet of Maple Lodge.
So named after a large house that came to be known as "Maple Lodge"
that was built in 1850 by Scottish immigrant James Sinclair Smith
across the road from this cemetery. They are located just north of
here. Look for the pile of rubble on the east where Maple Lodge
Post Office/house used to be and to the west for the cemetery.
The Grand Trunk Railway passed through this farm in 1856 and
stopped here only to load and unload livestock. Incoming mail bags
were thrown to the ground on the way by and outgoing mail was hung
on a catch pole.
The church existed until 1885 when it was moved to a farm to be
used as a drive shed.
The Maple Lodge school still stands in front of you. It was
closed in 1959 when McGillivray Central school opened. Used for as
a polling station and card parties for many years afterwards. A
school reunion held in 1978 drew almost 680 people back to the
first brick school built in McGillivray Township.
Maple Lodge had a post office(in the Maple Lodge house), doll
factory, creamery, and chocolate factory at one time.
James Smith served as MPP for the area and his
son Alexander was a Liberal MP from 1908 to 1911. The house
was torn down in spring 2009. Congratulations dawgpound23 for
the FTF